Vittorio Grigiolo Releases Statement Amidst Groping Scandal

By Francisco Salazar
(Credit: Marty Sohl / Metropolitan Opera)

Vittorio Grigolo has put out a statement after being suspended from the Royal Opera and Metropolitan Opera.

The tenor posted a statement via social media that noted, “Dear Friends, First off, I want to give thanks to my fans and friends for the numerous messages, acts of affection and support. I remain calm. My team and I are cooperating with Royal Opera House with whom we have given our full support and availability during the ongoing investigation.”

The statement comes a few days after the tenor was accused of groping a chorus member during the Royal Opera’s Japan tour. The company immediately opened up an investigation while the Metropolitan Opera released a statement noting,

“Following the alleged incident reported by the Royal Opera House concerning Vittorio Grigolo, the Met will be suspending him with immediate effect from all future performances, pending the outcome of the ROH investigation.”

The tenor has since spoken with the Italian press stating “The misunderstanding could have been cleared up immediately afterwards as I asked The Royal Opera House to meet those involved so that we could clear the air. During the applause I’m full of adrenalin, exuberant, impulsive, it’s even possible that I told someone to ‘f**k off,’ in life you can’t be condemned for telling someone ‘where to go,’ but when you’ve cooled down you should be given the opportunity, if you’ve made a mistake, to say sorry. Something I was denied. They took me away, put me on a plane and sent me home like a killer. I am calm about the situation and I await their decision.”

The press has also obtained a testimony from a Japanese spectator who noted, “I watched the performance on September 18, 2019 with my friends. From our seats in the quite front area, the stage was clearly visible, and we were all observing the whole curtain call and watching Vittorio. We, including a friend who had a seat on the 1st row around the centre, did not notice any suspicious movement of Vittorio or any unusual reaction by other performers on the stage. We only noticed that Vittorio gently touched the fake belly part of the dress of the dancer who acted a pregnant woman. We understood that his behavior was for the audience to recall a scene from the opera, ‘Faust.’ It was clearly part of his sincere performance from his enthusiasm to entertain the audience and we believe nothing to be blamed.”

Grigolo is still scheduled for performances at the Teatro alla Scala where he is currently rehearsing “L’Elisir d’Amore.”

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